Bloomipedia
Colorado Four o'Clock (Mirabilis multiflora)
Photo: Wendy McCrady via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Colorado Four o'Clock

Mirabilis multiflora

Colorado Four o'Clock (Mirabilis multiflora) is a low shrub in the Nyctaginaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly April–October across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Colorado Four o'Clock is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 3 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in April–October.

7states where USDA records it
3Bloomipedia state lists include it
5,616U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Nevada, New Mexico, Utah

Quick look

Mirabilis multiflora is a species of flowering plant in the four o'clock family known by the common names Colorado four-o'clock or desert four-o'clock that is native to the southwestern United States from California to Colorado and Texas, as well as far northern Mexico, where it grows in mostly dry habitat types in a number of regions.

  • It belongs to the Nyctaginaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) / a subshrub with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 7 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to New Mexico, Utah and Nevada. NatureServe
  • In New Mexico, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–October. iNaturalist
  • In Utah, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–September. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as purple. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as late spring. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 2 ft. USDA PLANTS
  • iNaturalist has 1,168 research-grade sightings of it in New Mexico, ranking #34 among the 152 flowers on our New Mexico list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 609 research-grade sightings of it in Utah, ranking #101 among the 153 flowers on our Utah list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 520 research-grade sightings of it in Nevada, ranking #79 among the 132 flowers on our Nevada list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (780 records)
Bloom time in the 3 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
New MexicoNativeJune–October1,168
UtahNativeApril–September609
NevadaNativeApril–June520

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
New Mexico
Not listed Not on New Mexico state endangered plant species (19.21.2.9 NMAC). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in New Mexico. 19.21.2.9 NMAC
Utah
No list Utah has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Utah ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Utah.
Nevada
Not listed Not on Nevada fully protected plants, critically endangered (NAC 527.010). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Nevada. NAC 527.010
Rare elsewhere
No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records Colorado Four o'Clock in 7 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah.

New Mexico counties with USDA records: Bernalillo, Colfax, Dona Ana, Grant, Hidalgo, Lincoln, Los Alamos, Luna, McKinley, Mora, Otero, Rio Arriba, Roosevelt, San Juan, San Miguel, Sandoval, Santa Fe, Sierra, Socorro, Taos, Torrance.

Utah counties with USDA records: Carbon, Garfield, Grand, Iron, Kane, San Juan, Washington, Wayne.

Nevada counties with USDA records: Clark, Lincoln, Nye, White Pine.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Colorado Four o'Clock a high shade tolerance, high drought tolerance and low moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 6.5 to 8.5 and winter lows down to -18 °F.

Shade tolerance
High
Drought tolerance
High
Moisture use
Low
Soil textures it is adapted to
coarse, medium
Soil pH range
6.5 to 8.5
Minimum temperature tolerated
-18 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum)
130
Annual precipitation range
8 to 18 inches
Minimum root depth
12 inches
Salinity tolerance
Low
Fertility requirement
Low
Growth rate
Moderate
Lifespan
Moderate
Active growth period
Spring and Summer
Fruit or seed
Brown · Summer to Summer
Can be propagated by
seed
Commercial availability
Contracting Only

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for MIMU. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 81 counties across 7 states; the most are in New Mexico (21), Colorado (17), Arizona (14).

Other Mirabilis on Bloomipedia (3): Wishbone bush, Marvel of Peru, Wild Four o'Clock.

More from the Nyctaginaceae family (9 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Trailing windmills, Scarlet spiderling, Great basin sand verbena, Snowball sand verbena, Purple sand verbena, Bougainvillea.

More New Mexico flowers

Purple sand verbena (Abronia angustifolia)

Purple sand verbena

Abronia angustifolia

Native

🌼 Few flowering records in NM
Snowball sand verbena (Abronia fragrans)

Snowball sand verbena

Abronia fragrans

Native

🌼 Few flowering records in NM
Trailing windmills (Allionia incarnata)

Trailing windmills

Allionia incarnata

Native

🌼 Blooms in NM: April–October

Sources